Solar farm near Telford will go ahead after developer wins appeal
A solar farm on agricultural land near Telford will go ahead after government inspectors overturned an earlier decision to refuse planning permission.
Shropshire Council had thrown out plans lodged by Swedish firm Vattenfall for the 22-megawatt solar generation scheme, set to be built on land off Hall Lane, Kemberton, because it said it would spoil the open countryside on the eastern fringe of the borough.
However, following a public inquiry held at Shirehall last month, government inspectors ruled that two fields which are currently used for farm grazing could be developed – despite any potential harm the scheme might cause to the green belt.
During the three-day inquiry the local authority stood by its original decision, saying the development would have an “unacceptably adverse impact” on the green belt, and cause an unacceptable loss of agricultural land.
However Government planning inspector Alison Partington agreed with the developer that the public benefits provided by the scheme provided “very special circumstances” which justified any potential harm caused by the development.
